 The
Healing Our Island Community Fund Grantees
Hui
Ho'ola
Re-building the Foundation
On a red cinder
road in Hawaiian Paradise Park, a simple house is the centerpoint
of Hui Ho`ola O Na Nahulu o Hawai`i, "We are the group who give
life back to all of Hawai`i", an innovative program for 20-25
recovering drug and alcohol users. A project of Drug Addiction Services
of Hawaii, the clients of this outpatient program not only participate
in therapy and process groups, but also utilize ho'oponopono sessions
for working with ohana. They also are developing a farm compete with
organic gardens and aquaculture for raising fish. Another unusual
component is the group's hula halau, a source of Hawaiian cultural
traditions, values education and skill building - keys to the new
life that clients are building.
Within the halau,
discipline, focus and respect are instilled as core values for hula
and for life. Many of the haumana (students) at Hui Ho'ola acknowledge
that much has been lost during their times of substance abuse, and
they are grateful to have this opportunity to rebuild their identities.
Being grounded, restoring balance, developing a sense of belonging
- and then creating a new life - this is the way program counselors
support their clients.
When the haumana
speak of Hui Ho`ola, they talk about finding a new family and a place
to develop their personal power; they attribute positive role models
and reconnection with their Hawaiian culture with their growing self-confidence.
"At first, I was afraid of everything. Talking about myself,
using the drums, having people see me dance - everything. But now
I am glad to dance, to have everyone see me. I am proud of myself,
of what I have overcome, of what I have become."
The Healing Our
Island Community Fund gave Hui Ho'ola a grant award to purchase a
pahu drum and a ukulele to replace the borrowed implements and improvised
Clorox bottles they had been using. The pahu drum, made of coconut
wood, was designed and handmade by Kumu Keone, one of only two remaining
na Kumu who builds drums and canoes through completely traditional
methods, without power tools. The concert size ukulele is played by
the kumu hula Auntie Myra, or by one of the haumana. Today the halau
is complete with its own high-quality instruments for its own clear
kahea, or "voice". Dancing, they exude a sense of belonging,
of being at home in their bodies and their culture. They proudly perform
for guests at Kilauea Military Camp and have been invited to dance
at Queen Lili`uokalani's birthday celebration.
Hui Ho`ola staff
reported that program participants felt a sense of worthiness and
acceptance as a result of receiving the grant award. Real instruments
validated that their recovery efforts were in earnest and that they
were valued by the community at large. Auntie Myra, who has been guiding
the halau for the past three years, renewed and strengthened her commitment
to working with this population as a result of the support from the
Healing Our Island Community Fund. The fine quality of the instruments
made in the traditional way confirmed a great respect for the work
of the halau and the kumu hula.
  
Battle
of the Bands
Music Soothes the Soul
A band member who competed at this year's Battle of the Bands said,
"Even though we didn't place, it was a good experience and an
awesome event for people like us. We were so happy to see ourselves
on the front page of the newspaper, with kids dancing, everyone having
a good time. Please tell all who were involved in this - thank you
for stepping up and bringing something to us kids who suffer from
a lack of music events."
A crowd of about
500 attended this year's Battle of the Bands held in rainy Waimea.
Planned by a student steering committee from Hawaii Preparatory Academy,
Parker School, Honoka'a High and several home schoolers, the event
included strong anti-drug messages are provided by local agencies
with booth space, along with information on teen pregnancy prevention.
The Healing Our
Island Community Fund awarded a grant to the Battle of the Bands one-day
event to support the need for more organized youth activities on the
island, and to join the many community collaborators in their efforts
to provide healthy alternatives to drugs and alcohol.
Three open mike
events were held in Waimea to build up to the Battle of the Bands
day and the youth steering committee has decided to keep them going.
The first one was very small, but the second had over 200 youth from
all over the island. Four open mikes have been held at this point
with a plan to keep them going throughout the year along with some
small concerts with different themes to encourage more diversity of
musical styles at next years' Battle of the Bands.
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